Flask for making sand molds for castings



R. J. HINES FLASK FOR MAKING SAND MOLDS FOR CASTINGS 2 Sheets-Shed'l 1 Feb. 27, 1962 Filed May 9, 1960 INVENTOR.

Russen. J. H Nss HTTQRNEyS Feb. 27, 1962 R. J. HINEs 3,022,553

FLASK FOR MAKING SAND MoLns FOR CASTINGS Filed May 9, 19Go 2 sheets-sheet 2 fijl INVENTOR.

Russen. J. HNCS HTTo'RNEyS United States Patent Otlce j, 3,622,553 Patented Feb. 27, ISSZ 3,022,553 FLASH FOR MAKING SAND MOLDS FOR CASTINGS Russell J. Hines, Bay Village, Ohio, assigner to '[:he

Hines Flask Company, Cleveland, Ollio, a corporation of Ghio Filed May 9, 1969, Ser. No. 27,834 3 Claims. (Cl. 22-110) This invention relates in general to apparatus for making sand molds for castings, and particularly to molds that are used in foundries for making metallic castings.

In present day foundry practice, the trend is toward the use of higher pressures in ramming or forcing sand into a ask containing a pattern for the formation of a mold for casting. This use of increased pressures results in the tendency of the walls of the conventional ask to bow or deform outwardly, and in some instances to even fracture the flask walls. A bow or deformity of the flask walls results in a deformed mold which prevents proper fitting of the conventional jackets used to enclose the mold during pouring operations, which in turn usually results in defective castings. Without a proper fit of the jacket on the mold, a run-out, shifted, or swollen casting usually occurs, resulting in a high rate of scrap castings. Also in modern molding practice where a match pattern plate is utilized to form the mold cavities in the cope and drag flask sections, it is highly important that the match plate be held against'movement with respect to the flask sections to obtain proper and accurate positioning of the mold cavities with respect to the mold.

The present invention contemplates the provision of coacting projection and aperture means in or on the cope and drag ask sections and on the match plate whereby automatic aligning or centering of the match plate and cope and drag ask sections is accomplished, and with such projection and aperture means coacting to resist outward deformation of the ilask walls during ramrning Y ofthe sand into the flask sections in the molding operation.

Accordingly an object of the invention is to provide an improved flask arrangement for the production of sand molds for castings.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved llask arrangement for the production of sand molds for castings and embodying coacting projecting and aperture means for accurate registering of the cope and drag flask sections, and registering of a match pattern plate therewith, While also providing for improved resistance to deformation of the walls of the flask sections during ramming of the sand into the flask sections in the mold producing operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide detachable projection and aperture means for use with a match pattern plate and associated cope and drag flask sections, for obtaining accurate registration of the ask sections and the pattern plate, and increasing the resistance to deformation of the walls of the ask sections.

A further object of the invention is to provide projection and aperture means of the latter type, which are relativelv simple and economical in nature, and which may be readily embodied in new flask constructions or embodied in existing ilask constructions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunc# tion with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a generally diagrammatic, vertical sectional view, illustrating a ask assembly embodying the projection and aperture means of the invention, and including cope and drag ilask sections and a match pattern plate, as disposed in a molding press;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevational view of one of the projection members of the invention, as adapted for use in the drag section of the llask assembly;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the FIG. 2 illustration;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, side elevational view of one of the combined projection and aperture members adapted for use in the match pattern plate of the ask assembly;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the FIG. 4 illustration;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the FIG. 4 illustration;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the aperture members adapted for use in the cope ask section of the llask assembly;

FIG. 8 is a top plan View of the FIG. 7 illustration;

FIG. 9 is an exploded, fragmentary, vertical sectional View of the aforementioned projection and aperture means of FiGS. 2 to 8 as assembled on the drag flask section, the match plate, and the cope flask section;

FIG. 10 is a view generally similar to FIG. 9 out showing the drag flask section, the match plate and the cope iiasl: section in assembled relationship, and with the projection and aperture means coacting with one another to maintain accurate registration of the flask assembly and increase the resistance to deformation of the walls of the ask sections;

FIG. 1l is a reduced size, generally perspective view of `a drag ask section and a match pattern plate, with a preferred arrangement of the projection and aperture means disposed thereon;

FIG. l2 is a fragmentary Vertical sectional view of a drag flask section and a cope flask section embodying the above mentioned projection and aperture means, and as assembled in coasting relation to facilitate the shipping of the drag and cope ask sections as a unit.

Referring now again to the drawings and in particular to FlG. l thereof, there is diagrammatically illustrated a conventional molding press 1d having a press head 12 and a bed plate 14.

A ask assembly A, comprising a cope flask section 16, a drag flask section 18 and an intermediate match pattern plate 2li, is disposed between the press head 12 and bed plate 14. The pattern 21 is generally centrally mounted on the plate and comprises cope and drag forming portions 21a' and 2lb respectively on opposite sides thereof.

The flask sections 16 and 18 in the embodiment illustrated, comprise side and end walls 22 and 24, respectively, joined in the form of a rectangle to form a hollow frame open at the top and bottom thereof. The walls may be hinged together at one corner 26 (FIG. 11), and may be provided with suitable means for locking the diagonally opposite corner, as by means of lock mechanism 28. The flask sections may also be provided with any suitable means for facilitating aligning the flask sections during assembly into stacked relation, as for example the vertically spaced apertured ilanges 3i) on the end walls of the ask sections, which are adapted to receive a pin 32 therethrough, for aiding in vertically aligning the llask sections in the conventional well known manner. At the top and bottom of each flask section 16 and 13, the latters walls may be provided with the conventional liange portion 34 which projects laterally outwardly in circumscribing relation about the liask enclosure.

in accordance with the invention, projection and recess means are provided on the ask sections and match pattern plate, for obtaining accurate alignment of the match plate and liask sections when in assembled relationship, and for resisting outward deformation of the walls of the ask sections during molding operations.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 through l0 inclusive, such projection `and recess means, in the embodiment illustrated, comprises a dowel member 36 adapted for mounting on the upper flange portion of the drag flask section.

' therein.

Such dowel member comprises a head portion 36a, an intermediate shoulder 'portion 36b, 'and a preferably threaded base portion 36e. The head portion 36a is preferably of a smaller diameter than that of the base portionV 36C, and as yshown in FIG. 2. The upper end of the headportion is also preferably provided with a generally pointed, axially aligned tip 38 Vfor apurpose to be hereinafter set forth. The shoulderl portion 36h may also be provided with slots 40 therein Yfor use in threading member 36 into a complementary threaded opening 42 (FIG. 9) in ange portion 34 ony the upper end of drag'tlask Vsection 18. Opening 42 may be Y counterbored as at 44 for coaction with lshoulder portion 36h on dowel member 36 when in assembled relation and as shown in FIG. 9. f

A combined dowel and recess member V48 is provided for the match plate 20. Member 48 is generally similar in construction to the aforementioned member 36 for the drag flask section, and includes head portion 48a, shoulder portion 48]) and base portion 48e, with the latter 'mentioned base portion 48e being provided with a downwardly opening recess 50 therein. Recess 50 is formed complementary to head portion 36a of dowel member identically, or in other words with member 36 also possessing an opening, such as recess 50, in the base portion thereof, thereby providing for interchangeability of 'such members, and reducing the number of parts necessary to be stocked.

Member 48 is adapted to bev threaded into a threaded through opening 54 in pattern plate 20. Opening 54 may be counterbored as at 56 in a similar manner as opening 42 in the drag flask section and so formed that the top surface 5S of the shoulder portion 48b on member 48 is'disposed substantially flush with the top surface 60 of Ythe pattern plate ZGinthe assembled condition of mem- Vber 4S with the pattern plate.

An aperture member or bushing 62 is provided for the cope flask section 16. VSuch aperture member comprises Y a'shoulder portion 62a and a threaded base section 62b.

Member. 62 is provided with an opening or recess 62e extending preferably completely therethrough, and as shown in'FIGSp7 and 8. v

Member 62 is adapted to be threaded into a complementary opening 64 in the bottom ange of cope ask vsec'tion 16, with such opening being counterbored as at '66 for receiving shoulder portion 62a of member 62 A washer member 67 is preferably disposed intermediate shoulder portion '62av of member 62 and the shoulder 66 formed by the counterbore of opening 64, so that in the event that the pattern plate120 is of a lesser thickness rthan the distance between the top sur#- face 58 lof shoulder portion 48h on member 48 andthe bottom boundary of Vmember 48, then the washer member 67 can be removed to permit further threaded Vmovement of member 62 into the opening 64 in Vthe cope flask section, and thus any extension of shoulder portion '4Sb above the pattern plate `surface 6i)V can be readilyr received into opening 64 in the cope drag section, without causing interference between the cope ilaskpsection and the pattern'plate. It will be seen therefore that the washer 67 provides for compensation for dierent thicknesses of the match plate, and allows the assembly tovbe c used 'with Ya range of thicknesses of pattern plates, such as for instance from Vthree-eighths to a half inch.

When the pattern plate 270 and tiask sections Vare in assembled relation as shown in FIGS. l and 10, thehead portion 36a of member 36 of drag ask section 18 is Y Vflask section, Vto accurately align the ask sections and pattern plate. The preferable arrangement is to have two of the projection and aperture means disposed on each side of the ask sections and pattern plate, and as is shown in FIG. 1l which provides an optimum arrangement for aligning the'pattern plate and ask sections and resisting ask deformation; however, more of such projection and aperture assemblies could be .used on each side. It will'also be understood that only one of such projection and aperture means could be utilized on each side, which would accomplish the result desired, but which would not provide the degree of resistance to ask deformation that a plural arrangement provides.

With the pattern plate and ask sections in the assembled eondition as shown in FIG. l0, the making of a mold is accomplished by fillingY the drag asksection, which is placed in open end up condition, with sand, striking the sand ol with any suitable means, such as a bottom board 68 (FIG. 1), placing the'bottom board 68 on the sand inside the drag flask and then jolting the mold'and rolling the ask sections, pattern plate and board over so that the cope flask section is up. Then the (POPS flask section is iilled with sand, the lattervbeing struck ot as by means of the squeeze board 70 (FIG. 1), and then the squeeze board may be placed On'the sand inside the cope flask section of the ask assembly. The press 10 is then operated to squeeze the sand in the drag ask section 18 toward the drag portion 2111 of the match plate pattern, and the Ysand in the cope askfsection toward the cope Vportion 21a of the match plate pattern, and with Vpressures for instance up to 100 pounds per square inch.

Such pressures might ordinarily cause deformation of conventional ask'walls, but because of the projection and aperture means provided, coacting between the pattern plate and the flask sections, the walls of the ask sections are prevented from springing out, or from being fractured, which results in much more accurate molds, and considerably extends the life of the flask assembly.

In the pop-off type of flask shown in FIG. 11,when one corner is opened in the flask assembly, or in other words the corner with the lock 28 thereon is released, there is an unequalized strain placed on'y the, respective mold section. This may distort either the cope or drag recess means, untilV disassembly Yof theV cope and drag liask sections from Vthe match plate is accomplished, with much less chance of distortion ofthe mold upon opening of the flask side walls.

As aforementioned the head portions 36a and 48a of projection members 36 and 48 respectively are provided with a pointed tip 38 thereon. Such pointed tip is for the purpose of facilitating the locating of the opening S4 in the match plate and/or the opening 64 in the cope flask section. TheV pointed tip acts in theV manner of a punch or marking point and is suitable for enabling a match plate to be placed in the customary surmounting position on the drag ask section andV then is tapped slightly, as by means of a hammer, to make prickv points onV the confronting side thereof, which indicate the axes of the respective drills for drilling the holes in the match plate, or the bushing Vreceiving hole in the cope flask section. It will be seen therefore that means'is provided in conjunction With theA projection and aperture Ymeans for deflnitely locating or marking the proper position ofthe projection and aperturemeans on the're'spec-tivev match Vplate or cope ilask section. Y

As illustrated in FIG. l2, the projection. and aperture means in the drag and cope iiask sections respectively are 'also advantageous for use during shipping of the iiask sections as ya unit assembly. As shown inFIG. 12, the head portion 36a of member 36Y on the drag'flask section is received in the aperture 62C of aperture member 62 on rthe cope flask section, when the flask sections are in assembled relation. This is a definite help in the shipment of assembled flask sections because if the flask assembly is bumped or dropped in shipment, it will still hold together. and not come out of line, thereby preserving the symmetry of the ask sections.

In practice it has been found satisfactory to have the head portion 36a of dowel member 36 enter the aperture t) in member 48 on the match plate, and with the head portion 48a of member 43 enter the aperture 62C in aperture member 62 on the cope flask section, approximately a quarter to ve-sixteenths of an inch. It will be seen therefore that during alignment of the cope ask section on the drag ask section to provide an assembled ask arrangement as shown in FIG. 1, the guide pins 32 do most of the initial aligning of the cope fiask section with respect to the assembled drag flask section and the match plate, while the projection and aperture means of the invention is effective during finalized movement of the cope tiask section into surmounting engaged relation on the match plate.

The projection and recess means 36, 48 and 62 are preferably formed of steel or like wear resistant material, and may be mass produced to provide an effective, long wearing and economical arrangement for aligning cope and drag iiask sections and a match plate, and for providing effective resistance to deformation of a tiask assembly.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown or described, or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

l claim:

l. Detachable projection and aperture means for alignini7 a cope flask section, a drag flask section and an intermediate match pattern plate, adapted to be disposed in stacked relation to form a ask assembly, and for increasing the resistance of the walls of the ask sections to outward deformation during molding operations, said means comprising a first detachable member adapted to be mounted in a threaded and counterbored opening on the top surface of a wall of the drag ilask section, said first member comprising an externally threaded base portion having an axially aligned aperture therein opening onto the underside of said base portion and an axially aligned upwardly projecting cylindrical-like head portion and a radially extending shoulder portion disposed intermediate said head portion and said base portion, said shoulder portion being adapted to be received in the counterbored portion of the respective opening in the drag flask section, said aperture being of a transverse cross sectional size and ot' a depth formed generally complementary to the transverse cross sectional size and height of said head portion, a second detachable member substantially identical to said first member adapted to be mounted in a threaded and counterbored opening in the match plate in axially aligned relation to said first member, the shoulder portion of said second member being adapted to be received in the counterbored portion oi the respective opening in the match plate` the aperture in the base portion of said second member being adapted to receive therein in relatively close fitting relation the head portion of said first member, said first and second members being interchangeable, and a third detachable member adapted for mounting in a threaded and counterbored opening on the under surface of the corresponding Wall of said cope flask section and in axially aligned relation to said second member, said third member comprising an externally threaded bushing having an axial aperture therein extending downwardly and opening onto the underside of said third member and a radially extending shoulder portion disposed adjacent the bottom extremity of said bushing, the aperture in said third member being adapted to receive therein in relatively close fitting relation the head portion of said second member, said shoulder portion of said third member being of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the shoulder portions of said first and second members and being adapted to be received in the counterbored portion of the respective opening in the cope flask section, and a spacer member generally encircling said bushing above said shoulder portion thereof, the last mentioned member being detachable from said bushing for providing means for varying the extent of entry of said third member into its opening in the cope ilask section, whereby said projection and aperture means may be used with a lesser thickness of match plate resulting in projection of the shoulder portion of said second member above the top surface of the match plate.

2. In a molding iiask assembly for making sand molds including a cope flask section, a match pattern plate and a drag flask section, each of said ask sections having a plurality of generally upright walls interconnected at their respective ends to define an enclosed boundary open at the top and bottom thereof, said match pattern plate being adapted to be positioned between said cope and drag flask sections in the assembled stacked condition of the latter for molding operation, and detachable projection and aperture means disposed in a threaded opening in each of said walls and on said match plate for aligning said ask sections and match plate and for increasing the resistance to deformation of said walls during molding operations, each of said openings being counterbored adjacent an exterior end thereof, said means comprising a rst detachable member mounted in a respective one of said openings on the top surface of an associated wall of the drag fiask section, said first member comprising an externally threaded base portion having an axially aligned aperture therein opening onto the underside of said base portion and an axially aligned upwardly projecting cylindrical-like head portion and a radially extending shoulder portion disposed intermediate said head portion and said base portion, said shoulder portion being received in the counterbored portion of the respective opening in the drag flask section, said aperture being of a transverse cross-sectional size and of a depth formed generally complementary to the transverse cross-sectional size and height of said head portion, a second detachable member substantially identical to said first member mounted in a respective one of said openings in the match plate in axially aligned relation to said first member, the shoulder portion of said second member being received in the counterbored portion of the respective opening in the match plate, the aperture in the base portion of said second member receiving therein in relatively close fitting relation the head portion of said first member, said first and second members being interchangeable, and a third .member mounted in a respective one of said openings on the under surface of said cope flask section in axially aligned relation to said second member, said third member comprising an externally threaded bushing having an axial aperture therein extending downwardly and opening onto the underside of said third member, said third member including a radially extending shoulder portion disposed adjacent the bottom extremity of said bushing, the aperture in said third member receiving in relatively close titting relationV the head portion of said second member, said shoulder portion of said third member being of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the shoulder portions of said rst and second members and being received in the counterbored portion of the respective opening in the cope flask section, and removable means disposed above and coacting with the third members shoulder portion for providing means for varying the extent of entry of said third member into its opening in the cope ask section upon removal of said removable means, whereby said projection and aperture means may be used with a lesser thick- References Cited n the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Withers June 2, 11.296 Johness Aug. 9, l1910 Bouillon Aug. 5, 1913 Kindt ..Y Y Feb. 2S, 1950 

